Border Patrol decides that if shot at, they will shoot back

The chief Border Patrol agent for the South Texas region drew the line in the sand last week on agents being shot at from the Mexican side of the border. The announcement was an indication of how violent the border has become and of how much is at stake for the United States in the fight to control the Mexican drug cartels.

Ronald Vitiello, Border Patrol sector chief for South Texas, stood shoulder to shoulder with state and local enforcement officials and said that Border Patrol agents patrolling along the Rio Grande will now be armed with fully automatic rifles and be authorized to return fire.

The rampup in armament is significant because Border Patrol agents have traditionally been lightly armed, in keeping with a mission that is more about dealing with illegal immigrants seeking a job in the United States than with violent criminals. In many cases, especially in the harsh conditions of the border, the agents have served more as rescuers of distressed immigrants than law enforcement officers. But the drug cartels are as well armed as many armies, complete with fully automatic weapons and explosives. The bombing in Morelia recently was carried out by drug gang members.

And there have been several instances of Border Patrol agents being fired upon from the opposite side of the Rio Grande as drug gangs have been interrupted in their smuggling work. Vitiello did not announce any protocol for such return fire. But it's prudent to assume that the dangers of firing on innocent civilians would have to be tempered against the right of agents to defend themselves.

Yet the Border Patrol would seem to have little choice to defend itself against criminals who have shown no restraint in putting so many others at risk.